Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-01-15
ARKANsAw CONCERTS.

home ana Iarm
A VERY, BAD MEMORY.
Zeb Wecherley's only characteristic
was his untrustworthy memory. He
frequently forgot his own name, and
one day when his fereturned from
visit to neighbor, Zeb, upon meet
ing her at the yard gate, said:
GLOW do you do, madam"
"Look here, Zeb, don't you fool
with me-"
"Ah, you know my name"
"Your name, WY plague take your
hide, don't you know me?"
"Let me see," scratching his head;
II might have met you some place,
but dinged if know where"
"Don't you recollect buying this old
coat?" she said, shaking the skirt of
faded dress.
"Can't say that l do"
Don't you remember that you got
it on credit from John MCGEE? You
ought to. When he asked you for the
money you swore that you never got
it, an then fit right thar. / grabbed
up kittle O. hot water, an in tryin'
to scald him, soused YOU"
"Scalded me?"
"Of course I did. Don't you RI
collec?"
"Peers like | do ricolIect feelin'
somethin' hot"
"Well, I'm the one that put the hot
water on YOU"
"Yes, but that don't prove that you
are my wife. was scalded at a steam
mill once, an l know mighty well
that nobody there was my wife,
That is, I don't think so. Let me
see," again scratching his head. "No
don't think l had any wife there
"Get out of the way, Zeb; want tC
90 in an see about supper"
"You may go in if you want to, but
would rather you wouldn't fool witt
my wife's pots and pans. She dom
like for strangers to come arounI
much nohow. Well, well, Mollie
now l remember. You are my wife
How could l be so stupid? Let m,
see, your name used to be Alcorn
didn't it?"
"No, my name was Smith,"
ooh, yes, that's a fact. Come in
Unfortunately, Zeb was, at the las
term of court, convicted of murder il
the first degree, and was sentenced t
be hanged on the 10th of November
On the 9th friend called upon him
During the conversation, Zeb, who's
memory was somewhat stronger
said:
"Let me see. Oh, yes, 1 have bee
sentenced 70 be hanged, but blame
if haven't forgotten the date"
"On the 10TH" the friend replied.
"That's fact. What's to-day?"
He was hanged on the following
day, and when his wife was told tha
the ceremonies were over, she clasp
ed her hands, and, in an agony O
grief, said:
"Pore Zeb is hung! an the wors
thing is he'll never ricollect it."
A DREARY LIFE.
There is no life more dreary thai
that of the woman who marries tn
remote pine hill farmer. Her HON
is far removed not only from a village
but from a country road. Ina small
pine Lighthouse, with one room, shu
out from the world, she bends over
smoking fire, cooking her husband
cOrnbread and bacon. She huns a
old tune which she brought with he
from her fathers house-a whinin
tune which, better than words, tel
other loneliness. She married "Jim,
not because she really loved him, bu
because she thought it was her duty
Hope for something better? She dot
not think of hope. That somethin
which holds up the busy world has II
place in her poor, shrunken breas
Sunday and Monday are the sam,
How could there be Il change? I'll
same crows, with dismal cries, sit O
the top of the dead pine, and, aero
the stumpy, new ground comes Il
rruel shrek of the same hawk, a j
-ails round and round.